___________________________

___________________________
The Love that Surrounds Me 1 & 2. Diptych 36" x 36" ea

Friday, November 21, 2008

Anthropomorphization and Mennonite-ism




I enjoy titling my paintings to anthropomorphize the subject of my work.
Recently I've become quite interested in the history, enjoyment, ethnicity and necessity of dance. Maybe because my Mennonite heritage doesn't allow such "sinful behaviour" of natural human movement and expression. Maybe because anthropomorphizing an object could be misconstrued as a multi-god worshipping kind of cult. But none-the-less, I am enjoying my exploration of this natural human liberation/release.
Some time ago I saw the movie, The Tango Lesson. I can't say that the movie was particularly compelling to me, but I was engrossed in the protagonist's desire to learn the tango. Then there's the movie, "Frida"... who can forget Salma Hayek's sensual tango with Ashley Judd?

I suppose the trees in the following two paintings were subconsiously born from my desire to learn and feel the dance... perhaps the dance of life.

It was only after the creation of the paintings starring these so-called "inanimate objects" that the titles came to me... perceiving the entwined Arbutus limbs as a somewhat seductive display of affection and closeness



Two to Tango 18"x36"



and the suggestive curves of this Arbutus as it yearns to wrap around the trunk of the Fir.


Shall We Dance 36"x12" [Lions Bay Art Gallery]

Funny, I met someone very recently who mentioned his desire to Tango. I'll have to remember to continue this conversation next time we talk.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


[I've recently had my website professionally remade by The Graphic Garden, but I haven't added titles or sizes to the site yet... these can be found on websites of the galleries that represent me (see side bar)].

Monday, November 17, 2008

Autumn's Ocean View

I'm sipping on a glass of red wine while writing this, remembering when I was in White Rock a couple of days ago. I was dropping off a few new works at Jenkins Showler Gallery on Johnston Street.

The evening sky was full of dynamic, expressive clouds waving across the ocean to their new destination somewhere else in the world.



An artist had spent several hours, I'm sure, on balancing these rocks - they were the audience for the setting sun.

I always find it so lovely on a quiet Autumn day when the air chills your nose and its smell is of dried leaves and saltiness...




Friday, November 7, 2008

Forest for the Trees

Whew!

Been real busy these last few days, so ... just a quick blog to show off a few more new pieces! All are available at Lions Bay Art Gallery...